Button



l/VVE/VTOI? Q amma Afforney (No Model.)

O. V. GODDARD.

BUTTON.

Patented Jan. 20

WITNESSES I IINTTED STaTEs PATENT @rrrcn.

CHARLES V. GODDARD, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

BUTTON.

SPECIFICATION forniing part of Letters Patent No. 310,939, dated January 20. 1885.

Application filed July 3, 1884. (No model.)

To aZ'Z whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1', CHARLES V. GODDARD, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain Improvements in Buttons, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of buttons which are composed of a front plate and a back plate united at the periphery and provided with a central opening spanned by a cross-bar confined at its ends between the plates and designed to receive the thread by which the button is secured in place.

The principal aims of the invention are to reduce the thickness of the body, secure the cross-bar more firmly in position, and give the parts such form that they may be readily constructed and united by machinery.

- To this end it consists in a cross-bar which may be variously formed, terminating near the margin of the central hole or eye, and confined by the compression of the body around it; also, in lips formed on the body and engaging with the bar to confine the bar in position; also, in the peculiar conformation of the bar, as hereinafter described.

Referring to the accompanying drawings,

I Figure 1 is a perspective view of the parts of a button constructed in accordance with my invention, the front and back plates being separated, in order to expose, the interior portion to View. Fig. 2 represents a central crosssection through the same. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the cross-bar detached. Fig. i is a perspective view'of the crossbar in a modified form. Figs. 5 and 6 are perspective views looking against the rear side of the front plate of the body, showing other formations of the cross-bar applied thereto. Fig. 7 is a groove, illustrating the manner in which the lips are formed on the front or back plate of the body.

The body is composed in each instance of three parts-the front and back plates, A and B, forming the body of the button, and theinermediate cross-bar, O. The two body-plates are made of a circular or other suitable form, and are firmly united at the outer edge, preferably by flanging or turning the outer edge of the front plate backward over and around the periphery of the back plate, in the ordinary manner. Each plate is provided, as usual in this class of buttons, with a central opening or eye, a, through which is passed the thread. The cross-bar C is in each instance adapted to extend across the central opening and slightly beyond the same, particular care being taken to see that it does not extend be yond the opening a farther distance than is necessary for its proper support. The extremities of the bar may be simply flanged; but it is preferred to bend them laterally or give them such form that they will have an extended bearing between the faces of the two plates at points adjacent to the central hole.

In Figs. 1, 2, and 3 the straight or central portion of the bar has one end coiled into the form of a circle, to surround the central opening.

InFig. 4 the eye is made of essentially the same form as in the preceding figure, the principal difference being that the straight or central portion of the bar is bowed or bent backward, as shown at I), to form a shank or loop to retain the thread in a central position. This loop or eye, extending backward through the opening in the rear plate, may be seated snugly against the face of the object to which the button is applied. T

In Fig. 6 the bar is made of a substantially S shape, the two extremities being bent in opposite directions to encircle the margin of the opening.

In Fig. 5 the bar is bent into the form of a figure 8.

Being seated against the front plate, the bar is confined by applying the back plate there to, the two plates being united at the outer edge and the back plate compressed so as to fit closely over and around the extremities of the bar. The formation of the back plate to this end may take place at the time of applying it to the front plate; or it may be previously formed in suitable dies to admit the crossbar.

Inasmuch as the cross bar terminates at points near the central opening, I am enabled to compress the outer portions of the two plates closely together, so as to present a button-body having a thin outer edge, which is for many reasons strongly demanded by the trade.

As an additional means of retaining the bar in the proper position, I propose to provide one of the body-plates, by preference the back plate, with lips d, which are extended backward or inward and curled over the eXtremities of the bar, in the manner represented in Figs. 1, 2, 5, and 6. In ordinary cases two of these lips are sufficient; but they may be increased in number and varied in form, as desired.

The preferred mode of construction is to cut or incise the plate centrally, as represented in Fig. 7, so that metal punched out in the formation of the central hole will be turned backward to form the lips (I.

The crossbar is preferably formed of a wire, and when so formed that portion which spans the opening is left of a round form, in order that it may present no sharp edges to cut or chafe the thread, while the remaining portion is flanged by compression, in order to admit of the body-plates being brought more nearly together, the body-plates being thus reduced in thickness.

Iam aware that cross-bars of various forms have been confined between. the front and back plates of a button-body, and that they have been combined with such body in a straight form, terminating at a distance from the periphery. I believe myself, however, to be the first to combine with the front and back plates a crossbar having laterally curved or bent ends seated and confined between the plates at the margin with a central opening, as contradistinguishcd from bars which terminate at the outer edge of the button. I also believe myself to be thef rst to provide one of the plates of a button with lips (Z, curled backward and outward in such manner as to clasp around the laterally-bent ends of the cross-bar.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim isthe central opening and curled backward at the periphery to embrace the back plate, the cross-bar having its extremities bent or curved .to follow the edges of the central portion, and

the back plate having its central portion perforated and recessed to fit closely over and around the extremities of the cross-bar and its peripheral portion seated against and secured firmly to the back and front plates, whereby the cross-bar is retained firmly in position and the outer portion of the button given a thin outer edge.

2. In combination with the intermediate cross-bar having its ends bent or curved laterally, the front and back plates united at the periphery and perforated at the center, one of said plates being provided, as shown, with lips (Z, clasping the bent portions of the cross-bar. whereby the bar is held centrally in place and prevented from moving in any direction.

3. In a button consisting of two united centrally-perforated plates and a central cross bar having its end or ends curved, as described, lips (1, formed on one of said plates and curled outward and backward, as described, to our brace the extremities of the cross-bar.

4.. In a button, the combination of the front and back plates, united at the periphery with the cross-bar having the diametric portion of a round form in crosssection, and the circular peripheral portion of a flat form in crosssection, whereby a round surface is presented to receive the thread and the bar held firmly in position between the plates.

CHARLES v. eonnnnn.

\Vituesses:

JOHN T. Anus, W. (3. ALvoRn. 

